James r



(-No Model.)

J.R.'DONLEYV. SAND BOX.

Patented May a, 1898.

W i nesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES R. DONLEY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HALSEY B. PHILBRICK, OF SAME PLACE.

SAND-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 603,266, dated May 3, 1898.

Application filed December 4, 1897. Serial No. 660,798. (No model.)

To all whom, it mag concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. DONLEY, a

citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sand-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sand-boxes, and more especially to means for obtaining afree 1o flow of the sand to the track and for stopping the supply without the necessity of a valve or analogous cut-off vdevice.

My improved device, which is extremely simple in construction and mode of operation, I 5 involves a box or vessel for containing sand, a discharge pipe or tube communicating with the box, and an air-blast pipe leading into said box from a suitable source of supply, such as a tank for containing compressed air to operate the brakes on alocomotive or streetcar. the sand-box, the sand is loosened up to such an extent as to insure an adequate supply thereof to the track, which is particularly ad- 2 5 vantageous inwet weather, as under such a condition the sand becomes damp and cannot freely gravitate from a sand-box.

The sand-box may be mounted upon the boiler of a locomotive or suspended from a 0 car-body, and the inlet end of the dischargepipe will be located above the level of the sand and preferably remote from the bottom of the sand-box, and the air-blast is introduced at a convenient place. When the com- 3 5 pressed air strikes the sand in the box, the sand is elevated until it strikes the cover or cap of the box, and as soon as the air is cut ofi the sand of course 'drops, and to insure the distribution of'an ample quantity of sand 0 to the track the receiving end of the discharge pipe or tube is flared or funnel-shaped, so as to cover a comparatively wide area.

In the drawings accompanyingand forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front 5 elevation of my improved sand-box suspended from a car-body. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of the same. Fig. 3 isa horizontal sectional plan, the section being taken in the line at as, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudi- 5o nal central section showing the operation of the device and as mounted upon a locomotive- When the air-blast is introduced into In Fig. 1 the box is designated by B, and

its cap or cover by C, the box being secured at regular intervals to the hangers or straps 2, depending from and fixed at their upper ends to a car-body, a portion of which is shown at 3.

The discharge-pipe is designated by D, and

it communicates with and leads from the interior of the sand-box B, so as to convey a supply of sand to the track when the sand is acted upon by a blast of compressed air, the sand being elevated above the upper end of the discharge-pipe until it strikes the cap or cover C, and when the air-blast is arrested the sand Will drop in a spray into the discharge-pipe. The discharge-pipe D passes through an opening in the bottom. or floor of the box B and is held in place by the checknuts tand 5 in threaded engagement with said pipe and abutting against the upper and lower faces of said'box-floor.

To insure the collection by the dischargepipe or conduit D of a relatively large quantity of material on the introduction and subsequent cut-off of the air-blast, the upper end of the discharge-pipe, which is remote from the bottom ofth'e sand-box B, is provided with a flared or funnel-shaped cap 6, the tubular portion of which is sleeved on the discharge-pipe and secured thereto in some convenient manner.

The air-blast pipe is designated by A, and consists of two sections 7 and 8, the first mentioned being annular and the other passing through a wall of the box and communicating with an air-tank. (Not shown.)

The annular pipe-section 7 is provided at regular distances apart with a series of holes or openings 9 on its under side, (see Fig. 3,) through which the blast of air can escape to strike and elevate the sand. The annular pipe-section 7 rests upon the support 10, having flanges 10 and 10 at its opposite end, fixed to diametrically opposite sides of the sand-box wall, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the said pipe-section being held in place against lateralmovement by the keepers 12 and 12, secured to the support or bracket 10.

The supply of air to the pipe A from the air-tank is controlled by a valve, (not shown,) which may be operated by an engineer or motorman, and when said valve is opened to admit a current of air to the annular pipe-section the compressed air will pass through the several holes or vents 9 and strike the sand and elevate the latter so long as the air is on. XVhen the blast is stopped, the sand drops and enters the flared or funnel-shaped cap at the upper end of the discharge-pipe D, and passing through the latter will be distributed thereby to the track in the usual manner.

On the removal of the cap or cover C a supply of sand can be emptied into the box B, and I have provided a device for preventing the inflowing sand from entering the discharge-pipe. This device consists,preferably, of a cover 13, adapted to fit over the flared or funnel-shaped cap 6, so as to prevent the entrance of the sand into the discharge-pipe when the box is being filled by an engineer, the cover 13 having a ring 14 by which it may be suspended from the hook 15 on the outside of the sand-box, as indicated in Fig. 1, said cover being connected with the sand-box by the chain 16, so that it cannot be lost.

The foregoing description relates to a sandbox which is especially adapted to car-bodies, and in Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a device intended more especially for application to a locomotive, and in the modified construction two discharge or delivery pipes are provided,

0 is in threaded engagement with the sand- Vith this exception the construction box.

shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is the same as that illustrated in the other views.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with a sandbox, of a discharge-pipe passing through said sand-box and having its inlet located above the level of the sand, and an air-blast pipe leading into said sand-box and having an air-blast opening or openings situated below the inlet end of said discharge-pipe and above the level of the sand.

2. The combination, with a sand-box, of a discharge-pipe passing through and into said sand-box and flared at its upper end, and an air-blast pipe passing through the sand-box and one end surrounding the discharge-pipe, said surrounding portion having one or more air-escape openings.

The combination, with a sand-box, of a discharge-pipe passing through the bottom of the sand-box and having a flared inlet end located above the level of the sand, and an air-blast pipe passing through the sand-box and having an annular portion surrounding the discharge-pipe, said annular portion having one or more airescape openings on its under side.

at. The combination, with a sand-box, of an air-blast pipe, and a sand-discharge pipe the delivery and receiving ends, respectively, of which are situated in the sand-box and are located above the level of the sand.

5. The combination, with a sand-box, of a discharge-pipe communicatin g therewith and having a flared inlet, a removable cap for coverin g the inlet of said pipe, a detachable cover for the sand-box, and an air-blast pipe leading into the latter.

6. The combination, with a sand-box, of a discharge-pipe communicating therewith and having a flared inlet above the level of the sand, and an air-blast pipe passing through a wall of the sand-box and having an airescape opening or openings.

JAMES R. DONLEY.

Vitn esses:

FRED. J. DOLE, WM. II. BLODHETT. 

